The Field Skillet: Perfect, Machined Cast-Iron Cooking Glory

There's something about cast iron that speaks to the soul. That's only if you're into cooking; if you aren't, you probably read that first sentence and came away with all sorts of questions about me.

But seriously. The cast iron pan is timeless. It can be used for—depending on the shape of the pan—cooking literally everything under the sun. If properly maintained and seasoned, it is a tool that can be used as a kitchen (and camping) staple for the entirety of your life, and then handed down for generations to come.

The cast iron skillet, while an incredible and versatile tool, is not perfect. They're heavy. And they have these dumb pour spouts that rarely get used. The design really hasn't been improved on since the 1800's.

Until now, that is.

This new Kickstarter project is looking to fund The Field Skillet, the first major advance in cast-iron skillet making in a century. For starters, this bad boy is machined out of cast iron blocks—much like a MacBook Pro, in fact—and is perfectly polished and seasoned right out of the box. Because of the machining process, the skillet is thin and lighter than your MacBook Pro, too. And unlike other cast iron pans, the handle is designed to disperse heat so you don't burn the crap out of your hand while preparing a delicious Sunday morning potatoes and sausage skillet okay now I'm hungry time to fire up my skillet.

If you're interested in getting in on the Field Skillet project, you can donate $90 and reserve your own when they are released this summer.